Most coloring pages can be printed in four steps: download the PDF, open it, choose your paper size, and set the page scaling to Fit so nothing is cut off. The scaling step matters because many US printers use Letter paper, while most PDFs on this site are A4. This guide covers the settings for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android, and what to do when a page prints cut off or too light.
File details in this guide come from checks of ColoringPagesOnly files in October 2026. Printer menus differ by brand, so the steps below name the option and the usual places to find it.
Quick Steps
- Click Download PDF under the picture. The PDF opens in a new browser tab.
- Open the print dialog with Ctrl+P on Windows or Command+P on a Mac, or use the browser’s File menu and choose Print.
- Choose the paper size your printer holds: Letter in the United States and Canada, or A4 almost everywhere else.
- Set page scaling to Fit (the name varies, see the settings table), check that the preview shows one page, and print.
What the Buttons Under Each Picture Do
Every picture on a collection page has two labeled buttons: Download PDF and Online Coloring. On a computer, moving the pointer over a picture also shows three icons for Pinterest, download, and print. Clicking or tapping the picture itself opens the same PDF as the Download PDF button. The buttons were checked on a live collection page and on a phone in October 2026.
| Button | What happens | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Download PDF | Opens the picture as a one-page PDF in a new browser tab | Printing at home. This is the recommended route |
| Online Coloring | Opens the picture in the online coloring tool so it can be colored on screen | Coloring without printing |
| Download icon | Saves the picture as an image file, usually JPG | Printing from a photo app or sharing the file |
| Print icon | Opens the image file, not the PDF, in a new browser window and starts the print dialog | A quick print. Check the preview first |
| Pinterest icon | Starts a Pinterest save | Sharing, not printing |
On a phone or tablet, tapping the picture or the Download PDF button opens the PDF straight away, and that is the dependable route because the three icons are made for a pointer. If the print preview from the Print icon shows more than one page, cancel it and print the PDF instead. The PDF carries its own page size, which makes it easier to control.
Letter or A4: Why Pages Get Cut Off
Most printers in the United States and Canada use US Letter paper. Most of the rest of the world uses A4. The two sheets are close in size but not the same.
| Paper | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| US Letter | 8.5 in (216 mm) | 11 in (279 mm) |
| A4 | 8.27 in (210 mm) | 11.69 in (297 mm) |
A4 is slightly narrower than Letter but about 0.7 inch taller. Most PDFs on ColoringPagesOnly are A4. In a check of a sample of 1,090 PDF files in October 2026, about 65 percent were A4 portrait, about 28 percent were A4 landscape, and none were US Letter.
When an A4 page is sent to Letter paper at 100 percent, the bottom of the picture does not fit, and the printer cuts it off. The fix is to let the printer scale the page to the sheet:
- Scaling an A4 page to fit a Letter sheet shrinks it to about 94 percent (11 divided by 11.69). With a quarter-inch margin on each side, the scale drops to about 90 percent.
- Those percentages are calculated from the page sizes, not measured on a printer. The picture stays complete, just a little smaller.
If your printer holds A4 paper, print at 100 percent (Actual Size) and no scaling is needed.
Print Settings That Work
The names differ by program. Adobe Acrobat and Reader, for example, offer these page scaling options in the Print dialog:
- Fit: scales a page up or down to fit the paper.
- Shrink oversized pages: shrinks only pages that are larger than the paper and leaves smaller pages as they are.
- Custom Scale: lets you enter an exact percentage, found under Page Sizing and Handling.
Browser print previews and most Mac and Windows print dialogs include a similar option. The name and location vary, so look for words such as Scale, Fit to page, or Fit to printable area.
| Setting | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| Paper size | The size loaded in the printer: Letter or A4 |
| Scaling | Fit, or Shrink oversized pages when the PDF is larger than the paper |
| Orientation | Match the picture. If the page is wider than it is tall, choose landscape |
| Pages | Check the preview shows 1 page per picture |
| Color | Black and white or grayscale for outline pages, to save color ink |
| Quality | Standard. Draft uses less ink and may print lighter |
PDF, JPG, or PNG?
All three work. The differences are about page size and sharpness.
- PDF: Each PDF on this site is a single page with the picture embedded as a raster image, not a vector drawing. The page size is set inside the file, which is why it is the easiest to print.
- JPG: sample JPG files are about 1,101 by 1,501 pixels. Printed to fill a Letter sheet, which is about 130 pixels per inch.
- PNG: Some older PNG files are smaller, for example, 729 by 897 pixels. Printed at 8 inches wide, they come to about 90 pixels per inch and look softer than a JPG.
Images with fewer pixels print more softly. If a picture looks soft on paper, print the PDF and avoid scaling above 100 percent.
Paper and Ink
These are editorial suggestions from ColoringPagesOnly, not manufacturer specifications.
| Paper | Weight (g/m²) | Weight (US lb bond) | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard copy paper | 75 to 80 | 20 lb | Crayons, colored pencils | Water-based markers can show through |
| Heavier copy paper | 90 | 24 lb | Colored pencils and light markers are used | Print one test page first |
| Premium or presentation paper | 105 to 120 | 28 to 32 lb | Markers, lightly used watercolor pencils | Check the printer’s maximum paper weight |
| Light cardstock | 160 to 200 | about 60 to 75 lb cover | Pages to display or give away | Many home printers cannot feed it |
- Paper: plain printer paper suits crayons and colored pencils. Markers can bleed through thin paper, so print one page first and test. Heavier paper handles the marker better.
- Ink: printing in black and white saves color ink. HP’s support page says a black ink only mode uses just the black cartridge, and that choosing Draft or EconoMode from the print quality menu uses less ink. HP also notes that some printers still use color ink in black and white mode and that every cartridge is used a little for maintenance.
- Test first: print one page before a whole set.
Print From a Phone or Tablet
iPhone and iPad (AirPrint). The printer must support AirPrint and be on the same Wi-Fi network as the device. Apple’s steps: open the PDF or image, tap Share or the three-dot Actions button, scroll to Print, tap No Printer Selected, choose the printer, set the number of copies, and tap Print.
Android (Chrome). Open the page, image, or file in Chrome. Tap More at the top right, then Share, then Print. Select a printer, tap the down arrow to change settings, and tap Print. To keep a copy, tap Save as PDF and choose where to save it. Google notes that the phone needs a printer that can receive data over Wi-Fi or a mobile network.
Phone print screens offer fewer scaling options than a computer. If a page prints cut off from a phone, save the PDF and print it from a computer.
Fixing Common Problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The bottom of the picture is cut off | An A4 page printed at 100 percent on Letter paper | Set scaling to Fit and print again |
| Two pages come out for one picture | The picture is slightly taller than the printable area | Use Fit or Shrink oversized pages, or print the PDF |
| The page is sideways, or the picture is tiny | Portraits and landscapes do not match | Pick a landscape in the dialog for wide pages |
| The lines look pale | Draft quality or low toner | Switch to Standard quality, check the ink or toner |
| The edges look soft | The image has few pixels, or it was scaled up | Print the PDF and keep scaling at 100 percent or below |
| Color ink is used on a black-and-white page | The printer mixes inks in grayscale | Choose a black ink-only option if the printer has one |
Where to Go Next
Browse printable pages by theme in the Printable Coloring Pages collection, color on screen with the online coloring tool, or find pages for younger children in coloring pages for kids. Popular sets to print include Color by Number and Astro Bot.
To print a coloring page made from your own picture, read how to turn a photo into a coloring page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I print free coloring pages?
Click Download PDF under the picture, open the PDF in your browser, press Ctrl+P on Windows or Command+P on a Mac, choose your paper size, set scaling to Fit, check that the preview shows one page, and print.
What size paper should I use for coloring pages?
Use the size your printer holds. In the United States and Canada, that is a letter, 8.5 by 11 inches. Elsewhere, it is usually A4. Most PDFs on this site are A4, so on Letter paper, set scaling to Fit so the whole picture prints.
Why is my coloring page cut off when I print it?
The page is probably A4 and the paper is Letter. A4 is about 0.7 inch taller than Letter, so printing at 100 percent cuts the bottom. Choose Fit or Shrink oversized pages in the print dialog and print again.
Can I print coloring pages from my phone?
Yes. On an iPhone or iPad, tap Share and then Print with an AirPrint printer on the same Wi-Fi network. On Android, open the file in Chrome, tap More, Share, then Print. Phone dialogs have fewer scaling options, so a computer gives more control.
Which is better to print, the PDF or the JPG?
The PDF is easier because the page size is stored in the file. A JPG works too and is useful from a photo app. Sample JPG files are about 1,101 by 1,501 pixels, which is about 130 pixels per inch on a Letter sheet.
What paper is best for coloring pages?
Plain printer paper works for crayons and colored pencils. Markers can bleed through thin paper, so test one page first and use heavier paper if the ink shows through.
How do I print coloring pages in black and white?
Open the print dialog, choose the color or grayscale option, and select Black and White, Grayscale, or Black Ink Only. HP notes that some printers still use a little color ink for black and white jobs, and Draft quality reduces ink use.
Sources
- Adobe, “Scale or resize PDF pages” (Acrobat and Reader help, last updated April 2, 2024): https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/scale-or-resize-printed-pages.html
- Apple Support, “Use AirPrint to print from your iPhone or iPad”: https://support.apple.com/en-us/109349
- Google Chrome Help, “Print from Chrome” (computer and Android steps): https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1069693
- HP Support, “HP inkjet printers: Print in black and white”: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_1930024-1807349-16
- Wikipedia, “Paper size” (A4 and North American Letter dimensions): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size
- ColoringPagesOnly file checks, October 2026: sample of 1,090 PDF files from 110 collection pages, sample JPG and PNG pixel sizes, and the behavior of the buttons on a live collection page.
